Before the Lock Upp contestants even began competing inside the house, a couple of them had already brought their old rivalries into it. While most of the celebrity contestants are meeting each other for the first time, two rivalries have made their way into the reality show.
Shreya Kalra's bitter fallout with Yogesh Rawat and Akanksha Choudhary and Sufi Motiwala's long-running spat with influencer Varun Yadav, popularly known as Laali, are the feuds that could spice up the new season.
The feud between Shreya Kalra and Yogesh Rawat and Akanksha Choudhary traces back to Yogesh Rawat and Akanksha Choudhary's stint on Splitsvilla X6. The duo formed a strong connection and quickly became one of the most-loved couples on the dating reality show. However, their relationship fell apart after a major twist brought Yogesh's ex-girlfriend, Ruru Thakur, into the villa.
Yogesh was forced to choose between Ruru and Akanksha as his partner for the remainder of the competition. He ultimately chose Ruru, leaving Akanksha heartbroken. The decision sparked massive backlash online, with fans criticising Yogesh and rallying behind Akanksha.
The drama intensified during the finale when Yogesh claimed that he had met Akanksha after the show and confessed that Ruru's wildcard entry and his decision to choose her were pre-planned. Akanksha admitted that she forgave Yogesh after hearing him out because he was emotional and apologetic.
Soon after, another controversy erupted. Contestant Suzzane claimed that Yogesh and Akanksha had been secretly meeting and even living together, alleging that they had cheated on Ruru. Fellow contestant Asmita further fuelled the speculation by sharing a picture of Yogesh resting his head on Akanksha's shoulder. Ruru later claimed that Yogesh had never informed her about meeting Akanksha.
The controversy divided social media, with influencer Shreya Kalra openly criticising both Yogesh and Akanksha. On her podcast, Shreya branded Yogesh a 'cheater' and accused him of manipulating Akanksha by planning Ruru's entry into the show. Yogesh never publicly responded to her remarks.
Following the finale, Shreya also slammed Akanksha for allegedly not being a 'girl's girl' by meeting Yogesh behind Ruru's back. She further accused Akanksha of running paid negative PR campaigns against her on social media.
Their rivalry spilled over to the premiere of Lock Upp. When Uorfi Javed was asked to explain Yogesh and Akanksha's complicated history, Shreya mocked Yogesh by repeatedly saying 'Clock it'—a phrase often used by Ruru during Splitsvilla. The exchange quickly escalated into a heated argument, with Shreya once again calling Yogesh a 'cheater' and claiming that more truths about him would eventually come to light.
Another rivalry that has already grabbed attention is between Sufi Motiwala and influencer Varun Yadav, popularly known as Laali. During the Lock Upp premiere, Sufi accused Varun of bullying him and revealed that the two had previously had an unpleasant encounter at a mutual friend's gathering.
Sufi alleged that Varun behaved in a homophobic manner, saying, 'The first time I met him, inhone mujhe ghair liya tha aur ek gaana bajaya tha aur mujhe 'chal naach, chal naach' bol rahe the. I am not your friend. Main aapko nahi jaanta, phir aap aisa kyun kar rahe the?' (he first time I met him, he surrounded me and played a song, saying, 'Come on, dance! Dance!' I am not your friend. I didn't even know you, so why were you behaving like that with me?')
He further claimed that the situation became so uncomfortable that he and others eventually asked Varun to leave the house. 'We felt uncomfortable and unsafe. I feel unsafe even right now,' Sufi added.
Varun denied all the allegations and assured Sufi that he would ensure he felt comfortable inside the Lock Upp house. However, Sufi made it clear that he wanted Varun to stay away from him. With tensions already running high, these rivalries are expected to be one of the biggest talking points of the season.
